Improvement in sheep-shears



F. RIEDLING.

Sheep-Shears. v

' Patented Jan. 5; 1875 7 WlTNESSE I V VI NVEINTOR v ATTORNEYS THE sauna: coyndro 4111:5541 max r'u'cgux.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

FREDERICK RIED'LINGpOF UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHEEP-SHEARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,526, dated January 5, H75; application filed December 5, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK RIEDLING, of Upper Sandusky, in the county of \Vyandot and State of Ohio, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Sheep-Shears; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawing is a representation of a side view of a pair of sheep-shears having my clasp attached, and Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same.

This invention has relation to devices which are designed for giving the operator a secure hold upon a pair of sheep-shears; and the na ture of the invention consists in combining with the shanks of such shears one or more loops held by a suitable securing device, and adapted to receive one or more of the operators fingers, whereby the shears are prevented from being kicked out of the hand of the operator, and the hand grasping the same from slipping onto or over the blades, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

In the annexed drawings, A designates a pair of ordinary sheep-shears, consisting of two blades, or, with shanks a united by a spring, 8, in connection with which I propose to exemplify the use and application of my improved clasp. B designates a piece of leather of sufficient dimensions, when laced to the shank a of the shears, to embrace it within its fold, and to cover it completely, the lacing being, when the covering is thus secured, at the under side of the shank, as shown in Fig. 1.

The upper part of covering B, upon which the fingers are designed to bear, is provided with a number of spaced slots, 1), cut transversely across the same, by means of which a leather strap, 0, of suitable dimensions, is applied to it to form finger-loops, c, in the following manner, to wit: The strap 0 is rigidly secured in any suitable manner to the under side of covering B in front of the first slot 12, through which it is then passed upwardly. It is then passed downwardly through wardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby a means is afforded for adjusting the size of the loops to the hand of the operator, while their adjustment will be maintained by the clamping action of the covering B against the shank 'of the shears.

I may in practice cut the transverse slots b directly through the shank of the shears, in which case one end of the loop-strap will be rigidly secured to the under side of and preferably in the concavity thereof; and the said loop-strap may be made of thin metal having suitable flexibility. I may even construct the loops at the same time as the handles or shanks of the shears, and as a component part thereof; but I prefer to make them, as above described, of leather, on account of its superior softness and flexibility.

It will be seen from the above description that the finger-stalls b are readily adjustable, to suit the size of various fingers; that they afford an adequate clasp, whereby the shears may be operated with safety and convenience, and without danger of wounding either the animal or the shearer, and that from their flexibility they are but little liable to abrade the skin of the hand.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, with the shank of a pair of sheep-shears, of the loops 0 of continuous strap 0, held by a suitable securing device, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the covering B, having slots 12, of the continuous strap 0, arranged in the said slots, so as to form adjustable loops or finger-stalls c, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK RIEDLING.

7 J. E. PARLET. 

